


It's Going Down (I'm Yelling Timber)

by dls



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 19:32:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15892647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dls/pseuds/dls
Summary: An AU WinterIron first meeting where nothing bad happens (except for the tree).





	It's Going Down (I'm Yelling Timber)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Arboreal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arboreal/gifts).



> I'm dipping my toes in the WinterIron pool! 
> 
> This is a gift for one of my lovely betas, Arboreal, who had been going through my previously-posted works for any missed mistakes. It's supposed to be a fill for her prompt - Tony Stark isn't famous (maybe his mother left his father when he was young and Tony took her last name? up to author/artist), but still becomes Iron Man. While on the run from HYDRA, Bucky meets Tony at Tony's day job. - but I couldn't write them as their MCU characters without adding all the angst and she had specifically asked for fluff. 
> 
> So it is now an AU first meeting fic with some September Christmas fluff. I'm sorry I couldn't fill the prompt but I hope you still enjoy it, Arboreal! Thank you for all that you do and for being you! <3 
> 
> Un-betaed, if you spot any typos or mistakes, please let me know. :)
> 
> P.S. One of my first dates with the Husband was ice cream and waffles, it is our go-to breakfast dessert/dessert breakfast. 
> 
> References/Quotes   
>  Title from "Timber" by Pitbull featuring Ke$ha.

Tony could feel the weight of everyone's stares on him, questioning and doubting, so he stood taller in response. He flipped the switch on.

The 14-feet tall monstrosity of a tree lit up with rhythmically flashing red and white lights to the cheery tune of _Jingle Bells_.

Cheers erupted all around him. His manager clapped him on the back.

"And that's how we do Christmas at the Home Depot!"

*

Tony was stationed by the Christmas tree and tasked with directing the customers to the appropriate aisles.

When the tedium threatened to overwhelm him, he reminded himself of the steep employee discount and the new panels DUM-E needed. It usually got him through the rest of his shift.

Usually.

*

Begrudgingly, Tony could admit there was some ingenuity in the manager's decision to set up an impressive tree that boasted easy assembly by the entrance. To achieve the full effect, however, the customer would need to buy all the components and, as stated on the sign, _lights and portable speakers not included, sold separately._  

Most of them fell into the trap but only after checking with Tony first for an all-in-one option then having him doublecheck that they had everything on their way out.

*

The sound of jingling bells haunted Tony's dreams.

*

"Hello?"

Tony pasted a smile on his face as he turned. "Hi, how can I help you today?"

"Does this tree come with the lights and music?"

"Unfortunately, no. But we do sell unlit trees down aisle 2, prelit trees down aisle 3, portable speakers down aisle 5, and musical lights down aisle 6."

*

When Tony started his shift that evening, it was blissfully quiet.

_Too quiet._

He picked up his pace as he rounded the corner then broke into a run when he saw the scene in front of him.

The tree was down.

*

There was a guy crouched next to small mountain of fake pine needles.

Tony's gaze snagged on the lines of lean hips and the curves of strong thighs, his steps slowed to a stroll then to a complete stop when the guy pushed himself to standing in a cat-like roll of muscles that was entirely unfair. "Sir?" He called out, having learned at his training that he should always refer to men as _sir_ and women as _miss_ \- apparently, being _ma'am-ed_ was a big deal and not in a good way.

The guy turned around in a slow pivot. His head was canted to the side, brows furrowed under a mess of dark hair, stare trained on the tangle of lights, and cheeks flushed under the shadow of day-old stubbles. "Sorry about the mess. Um, my buddy and I are doing a scavenger hunt and the little punk tripped me and my cart-" He pointed at the shopping cart stuck between the branches, its bright orange handles barely visible through the mass of greenery.

A quick glance told Tony that the base had been dislodged from the stand. An easy enough fix, same as the Christmas lights' plug that had been pulled loose from the socket and the speakers that had been disconnected in the crash. "Eh, it's fine. Are you okay?"

"I'm good." His gaze lifted, finally settling on Tony, and did a slow sweep from the hair that Tony had flattened using an obscene amount of product to the scuffed boots stained with motor oil. A smirk curved at the edge of those full lips as electric blue eyes hooded with interest, gone was the earnest sheepishness and in its place was suave charm. "Real good."

Flustered, Tony responded to the blatant flirtation with his default defense mechanism - snark. "I'm pretty sure Santa puts people who knock over Christmas trees on the naughty list."

The guy's mouth opened then closed, jaw working as he chewed through multiple responses before his nose wrinkled adorably. "Ugh, I had so many comebacks but all of them are awful." He shuddered dramatically.

Biting the inside of his cheek to keep his amusement from showing, Tony arched a brow. "I'll bet. Look, how about we start over?"

"Sure." The sheer relief and happy eagerness were far more attractive than the velvet voice and smooth lines. "I'm real sorry I knocked over the Christmas tree and I'd sure love to take you out for some ice cream and waffles after your shift?"

"Ice cream _and_ waffles?"

"Better than syrup, I know this little diner that's open all night."

Tony pretended to consider. "I need you to do something for me first." He walked right into the guy's personal space and felt a thrill when he leaned into Tony's without hesitation.

"Anything."

"I need your name for the incident report."

"Oh." He looked like a kicked puppy, completely baffled by this turn of events, shoulders sagging as he moved out of the little bubble of air they had shared briefly. "Bucky. Um, you probably want my full name for forms and stuff, right? It's James, um, James Barnes."

Finally, Tony allowed his smile to show. "Great, I get off of work at 10:30 and you can tell me all about how you got _Bucky_ from James over some ice cream and waffles."

Bucky's reaction was instant and gratifying, expression morphing from one of dejected confusion to elated surprise with a grin as bright as Tony's. "I'll be here." He took a step forward, only to find his jacket snagged on one of the branches.

They both glanced at the fallen Christmas tree with the shopping cart still wedged inside.

A beat of silence.

"Um, maybe not _here_ exactly. How about I wait for you outside the store?"

"Good thinking."

*

It became a Christmas tradition of theirs.

Ice cream over waffles as Tony and Bucky decorated the tree and reminisced about the first time they met - over a rogue shopping cart and a Christmas tree that probably had it coming.

**Author's Note:**

> [dls-ao3.tumblr.com](https://dls-ao3.tumblr.com/)


End file.
